Warming Center Open At Douglasville UMC

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — The Douglasville United Methodist Church will be offering access to their warming center Wednesday again, after making it available to those in need for the previous two nights. The church, located at 6167 Prestley Mill Road, will open at 7 p.m.

Rev. Heather M. Jallad, associate pastor, said the church has had 13 people take advantage of the warming center over the past two nights.

"We have been opening as a warming center and shelter in collaboration with Douglas County Emergency Management for the past five years," said Jallad. "When they ask, we open. Typically volunteers have been shelter trained by the county along with some of our church members. We typically provide hot coffee. Emergency Management provides items such as crackers, cots, blankets. Some folks have blessed those in the shelter with hot food. That has been very appreciated."

"Douglasville First United Church does this because we believe that Jesus calls us to love our neighbors and this is a very tangible way to do that and frankly it is the right thing to do," she said. "God has provided us with the facilities and the location to offer this kind of blessing to our community."

Even community first responders have been commented on the church's outreach, Jallad said.

"In the past one of the shelter volunteers, a retired police officer said, 'This is what a church is supposed to do.' To paraphrase further, 'walking the talk.'"

For more information, contact Rev. Heather at heatherj@douglasvilleFUMC.org

Photo courtesy Douglasville United Methodist Church